Outlet-box.



J. T MELEADY.

OUTLET BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1908.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

INVENTOR W BY A ORNEYS WITNESSES:

' bination fixture, in this case JAMES '1. MELEADY, 0F NEWARK, NEWJERSEY.

OUTLET-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

Application filed May 20, 1908. Serial No. 433,807.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. MELEADY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Outlet-Boxes; and I dohereby declare the following t@ be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to figures of reference marked'thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an outlet-box adapted to be used on electricalor combination fixtures, and refers to means for securing the conduitsconducting the wires to the outlet-box, this fastening means exerting atransverse pressure to secure the conduitsto the outlet-box, but thefastening means exerting the transverse pressure being operatedlongitudinally or parallel with the conduits so that the securing meansis easily accessible.

-The invention is illustrated in the accompanying. drawing, in whichFigure 1 is a view looking into an outletbox of my improvedconstruction. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2, 2, in Fig. 1. .Fig. 3 is aplan view of the fastening means shown in Fig. 2. i

I illustrate, in this case, a suitable support 10 which is a pipe eithersupporting a comeing a gas pipe, or being simply an electrical fixture.The outlet-box 11 fits into the plaster on the wall of the apartment andis preferably cupshapcd, having a fiat plate portion 12 which isprovided with anopening through which the support 10 is adapted to pass.A thimble 14: is secured by the screws 15 to the outlet-- box,the'thimble having its opening placed approximately in 'line with theopening 13 of the outlet-box and having an extension to one side, whichextension is adapted to receive a screw 17 A wedge-shaped block 18 has aflange 19 engaged by the head of the screw 17, and when the screw 17,which is parallel with the su aport 10, is screwed down it causes thebsvele face of the wedge 18 to engage a beveled surface of the thimblel4, and this causes a binding of the support 10 against the opening inthe thimble, thus causing the outlet-box to be slightly ecoentrio-to thesupport, and in this way bindingthe parts tightly together to supportthe outletbox in place. It will be noticed that the screw 17 is parallelwith the support 10 and can be easily operated by means of ascrew-driver, which is not true when a trans verse screw of the ordinarythumbscrew type is installed. Any other usual form of means-for securingthe outlet-box in place can be used.

In order to secure the conduits 21, which are of the usual form. havingthe convolutions forming helices, I provide the open ings 22. A sleeve23 is adapted to go over the opening 22, foration 24 through which thewires 25 are permitted to pass. The sleeve 23 has a subeach sleeve 23having a perstantia-lly radial lug 26 which has a slot 27 therein, whichslot receives a screw 28, the head 29 of the screw, when the screw isscrewed down into place, bearing against the inclined surface 30 andalso against the strengthening ribs 31, this movement of the screw inthe direction or parallel with the axis of the support and of theconduits, forcing the sleeve 23 eccentric to the opening 22,

thus throwing the edge 32 of the. sleeve 23 against one side of theconduit, and forcing the other side of the conduit in engagement, as at33 in Fig. 3, with the edge of the opening 22. This securely locks theconduit a ainst withdrawal, and in this case also it Wlll be noticedthat the means for causing the transverse motion of the fastening meanshas a movement and is operated in a direction parallel with the supportof the outletbox, and also substantially parallel with the element to besupported. To prevent-the conduits 21 from becoming unloosened by arotating or spiral movement, I provide the edge 32 with teeth 34, whichteeth enter, slightly, the soft lead or similar material of which theconduits are made, and lock them against any rotation whatever.

This outlet-box is preferably made cupshaped, and is struck'uppreferably from sheet metal.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is The combination of aconduit with an outlet box, the outlet box having a perforation forreceiving the conduit, a sleeve on the outlet box and embracing theconduit, said sleeve being provided with a radial lug havmg a radialslot and an inclined face, a

screvlv pass'in thron h the slot and into the l have hereunto set myhand this 19th diy of box, and inc ined ri s flanking the inclined May190.8.

face to form a channel forthe head of the JAMES T. MELEADY screw forforcing the sleeve and conduit cc 5 centric to the perforation in the'outlet box. Witnesses:

to bind the conduit therein. I W H. CAMFIELD,

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing, I E. A. PELL.

